[Ed. Note- There was such a response to the post Tues. regarding the NOVA MOB single “Shoot Your Way To Freedom” that rex had decided to do a follow up.]
First the background.
The influential HÜSKER DÜ 🇺🇸 formed in the early 80’s in Minneapolis.
They were a trio. It was the songwriting duo of BOB MOULD (guitar/ vocals) and GRANT HART (percussion/ vocals) that were the driving force of the band (No disrespect to bassist GRANT HART.)
Those two would have be considered among revered songwriting duos like Lennon/ McCartney or Morrissey/ Marr had they band lasted just a bit longer. After a series of blistering hard core releases, HÜSKER DÜ music began to temper by their final LP- “Warehouse: Songs and Stories” in 1987.
Tensions and competition among the duo was so bad that the songwriting was not collaborative. The songs on Warehouse were written separately – 11 by MOULD and 9 by Hart.
The band fell apart after the suicide of their manager before that tour. I saw them for the first and only time on that tour- it was brilliant. I was unaware of that news but the band were not welcoming when we approached to chat after the gig.
It has been widely suggested that the disintegration was caused by HART’S heroin addiction.
About today’s track. It is entitled “2541” and was released by HART in 1988 as his debut single leading into his LP “Intolerance”.
The song was written about an address with double significance.
HART (who was bisexual) had lived with a former lover at a street number of “2541”.
Yet 2541 Nicollet was the address of the HÜSKER DÜ record label Twin/Tone in Minneapolis.
HART first presented the song for the 3rd HÜSKER LP “New Day Rising” (1985), but it was rejected by MOULD.
The song is viewed as a masterpiece by many, including MOULD. It has been covered by ROBERT FORSTER of THE GO-BETWEENS 🇦🇺 and MARSHALL CRENSHAW 🇺🇸.
The song is seen as referencing the end of the band. It is not, as was suggested early on as signifying the end of a personal relationship between the two as MOULD is gay.
To me, the song sums up what music life is for so many indie artists most of which never reach the limo stage.
Listen to this song 6+ times and it will be a part of your life forever…
I love this lyric :
The most noted lyric is the following:
Here it is on this lazy Sunday read:
LP version is a bit heavier:
And at an in-store:
And finally:
Spotify-
https://open.spotify.com/track/5rZRhAnc5e6veDtpp7kvuM?si=MdKAlylKQPi4hPNgJXKZxQ&utm_source=copy-link
(SONG 1727)
Play Loud Or Perish
8/16/2026
underground365 
Leave a comment